Secret Service Basham's career with the
United States Secret Service began in 1970, when he was appointed a special agent in the Washington Field Office. He rose rapidly to the managerial level while serving in a variety of assignments reflecting the Service's diverse interests and responsibilities. Consistent with the dual missions of the Secret Service, Basham has served in supervisory positions in both protective and investigative assignments, serving as special agent in charge of the
Cleveland Field Office, the Washington Field Office, and the Vice Presidential Protective Division. Basham also served as the deputy assistant director of the Office of Training and as assistant director of the Office of Administration, where he was responsible for the management of the agency's administrative division, including financial management, personnel, procurement and strategic planning.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers In January 1998, Basham was appointed director of the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) by President
Bill Clinton. The centers, located in
Glynco, Georgia and
Artesia, New Mexico, provide training for nearly all of the nation's federal law enforcement officers, including Secret Service agents. The FLETC also serves the state, local and federal law enforcement communities with training programs tailored to their specific needs.
Transportation Security Administration In January 2002, Basham was recruited as one of the first employees and leaders of the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a new agency within the Homeland Security created to secure America's aviation system following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack. Among his responsibilities at TSA, Basham oversaw the hiring of federal security directors for the nation's 429 major airports.
Return to U.S. Secret Service On January 27, 2003, Basham returned to the agency as director, following the retirement of
Brian L. Stafford.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection President George W. Bush nominated Basham as commissioner of CBP on January 30, 2006. Basham was confirmed by the
United States Senate in May 2006. CBP is responsible for border security and trade, including the
United States Border Patrol and inspecting persons and items entering the
United States through its ports of entry.
Global Trade Exchange Basham was a lead proponent of the
Global Trade Exchange (GTX), an intelligence-driven supply-chain data-mining effort that was one of three components of CBP's
Secure Freight Initiative. == Personal life ==